martyrdom

noun

mar·​tyr·​dom ˈmär-tər-dəm 

1

: the suffering of death on account of adherence to a cause and especially to one's religious faith

… defended moral truth even to the point of enduring martyrdom …

—Andrew Sullivan

2

: affliction, torture

Examples of martyrdom in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

As well as this, there had already been the prophecy about his martyrdom being something cruel and slow. — Literary Hub, 14 Aug. 2026

More than mourning For most Shiites, Husayn’s martyrdom is more than a historical tragedy. — Iqbal Akhtar, The Conversation, 31 July 2026

Worner said the notion of a miracle — independent of martyrdom— is twofold. — Vivian Wilson, Twin Cities, 8 July 2026

At the funeral procession for Iran’s slain Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, many mourners are waving a red and white flag which symbolizes martyrdom and revenge in the Shia Muslim tradition. — Xiaoqian Lin, CNN Money, 6 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

martyrdom

noun

mar·​tyr·​dom ˈmärt-ərd-əm 

1

: the sufferings and death of a martyr

2

: torment entry 1 sense 1